'Drop dead' date next week for beach renourishment project

By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter

Maybe somebody’s been listening to the old Johnny Paycheck song, "Take this job and shove it. I ain’t workin’ here no more."

Goodloe Marine Inc. has until April 7 to either resume the beach renourishment project it began last July or take its equipment off the beach. The company was scheduled to restart the project April 1, but has shown no indication it will be able to be in operation by that date.

Manatee County Ecosystems Administrator Charlie Hunsicker said the company’s permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expires April 7.

"They either have to restart by that date, or have all their equipment removed from the beach by May 1," he said.

If Goodloe is able to resume renourishment by April 7, it will have until June 1 to finish the project, Hunsicker added.

Charles Stevens of the Corps said his organization is working diligently to "have our contractor resume the renourishment beach project prior to April 7."

Stevens would not comment on any alternative plans to finish renourishment if Goodloe misses the "drop dead" date and has to take remove its pipes and equipment from the beach.

But May through October is the height of the sea turtle nesting season and the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

Goodloe started the renourishment project last year on July 6 and was scheduled to complete the project by Nov. 1. Weather and equipment delays, however, put the project well behind schedule. The company halted operations just before Christmas because it said it did not want to interfere with the Island’s winter tourist season.

Unless Goodloe restarts the project by April 7, it could lose out on a large portion of its $4.6 million contract yet to be paid the company by the Corps. According to Corps records, Goodloe has only received about $350,000 of the contract price.

Efforts to reach Goodloe Marine for comment on any anticipated start date were unsuccessful.

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